The First Snowfall
by welseykels
Summary: Alistair and Warden Mira Amell are intimate for the first time. Artwork by nsfw-grey on tumblr.


"Alright. I guess I really don't know how to ask you this."

She lifted her eyes from where they'd been focused on the flames in front of her, to Alistair's face when he spoke. They were the only ones left at the fire, the pair taking first watch as everyone else in the camp had drifted off to sleep.

"Alistair, are you… sweating?" Her hands flew up to his face, a cooling spell at the ready if she found him hot with fever. "Are you alright, are you—"

"No. I mean, yes. I mean… I'm a little nervous, sure. Not that this is anything bad or frightening or… well yes." She could see the heat blooming across his cheeks and the tips of his ears in the firelight as he spoke. She brought her hands back down to her lap when she realized whatever this was, it wasn't illness.

"What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

"Oh, how do I say this? You'd think it would be easier, but every time I'm around you, I feel as if my head's about to explode. I— I can't think straight."

If she hadn't known better, she would have thought his head _was_ about to explode by the way his entire face had turned a bright mottled red as he spoke. His eyes left hers and turned toward the fire again as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

Lifting her own hand from her lap, she brought it to his cheek that was farthest from her, turning him back to face her. "That's very sweet."

His eyes closed at her touch, leaning his face into her hand, the colour on his cheeks easing a little. "Here's the thing: being near you makes me crazy, but I can't imagine being without you." His brown eyes opened, glancing down once at her lips before coming back up to the dark green of Mira's eyes. "Not ever."

A small smile spread across her face at his words and courage bloomed in his heart. "I don't know how to say this another way." His hands left his lap, one taking the hand that she still rested in her own, the other cupping her face. "I want to spend the night with you. Here, in camp. Maybe this is too fast, I don't know, but… I know what I feel." When he'd finished, he released a breath, relieved that he'd been able to get out what he wanted to say at least somewhat coherently.

He searched her face for any signs that he had offended her as her hand lowered from his cheek to rest over his heart, the fabric of his tunic the only thing keeping her skin from his.

 _Maker, he'd hoped he hadn't offended her. She was silent. That couldn't be a good sign, right? What if it was really too soon? What if she didn't want—_

"You want to spend the night? Are you sure?" Her words were quiet, barely a whisper, but the smile hadn't left her face. _A good sign?_

He was silent for a moment, thinking of the right words to say. "I wanted to wait for the perfect time, the perfect place… but when will it be perfect? If things were, we wouldn't have even met." He saw the pain flash in her eyes as he spoke the words, his hand squeezing around hers. He felt a jolt of pain settle in his own heart at the thought. "We sort of… stumbled into each other, and despite this being the least perfect time, I still found myself falling for you in between all the fighting and everything else. I really don't want to wait anymore." The heat spread back across his face once more. "I've… I've never done this before. You know that."

She giggled, easing the tension, "It's not like I have, either. You know that, too."

"I want it to be with you… I mean, if you want it to be with me… while we still have the chance. In case—"

Her fingers moved from where they had been and rested lightly over his mouth, silencing him.

"Don't talk like that. There will always be time later."

His hand left her cheek to move her hand from his lips, placing a chaste kiss on each digit before he brought their hands down to his chest where her other hand still rested.

"Will there? You don't know that. I'd like to be able to say that I threw caution to the wind at least once. I know it's a silly thought, but—"

"Alistair, there's no need to say anything else. I agree. I want it to be with you, too."

"You— you do?"

"Yes. You know how I feel about you. I want this. I want _you_."

"I— well, then." His eyebrow lifted as he pulled her closer to capture her lips with a quick kiss. She could already see the excitement mingling itself with the nervousness on his face as he pulled back. "Your tent or mine, my Lady?"

She giggled, grabbing the collar of his shirt, pulling his lips back to hers. His hands tentatively wrapped around her waist pulling her towards him. They'd decided earlier to discard the pieces of armour they wore, the weather too humid for much more than the pants and linen shirts they wore. He was thankful that she'd traded in her mage robes in for the shirts and pants of warden armour back at Ostagar when she changed her position to straddle his lap, the pants allowing her to move closer to him than any robe would. Whenever they had kissed before, it was always him who had chosen their position, which meant he was usually over her as their lips met. This was new. And he rather liked it.

His arms pulled her closer as her hands drifted upwards to tangle in his bronze hair. Her tongue teased at his bottom lip as his hands moved to the hem of her shirt, slowly slipping under the edge to touch the skin of her back. She hummed her approval into her kiss, his mouth opening to allow her access.

He groaned when she all the sudden ground her hips against his, one of his hands lowering to cup the curve of her rear, squeezing gently.

" _Alistair_." His lips left hers to trail down the side of her jaw, lowering to the curve of her neck. She closed her eyes at the sensation, continuing to drag her hips along him. His hand that had still rested on the small of her back slid up her skin, under her shirt, stopping when he reached the curve of her breast, his thumb running over the already hardening nipple. She moaned, louder than either of them had expected, pulling back from one another to listen if anyone else in the camp had heard.

Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke after their few moments of silence, finding the night otherwise quiet. "Should we... should we move this somewhere else that's not the middle of camp?"

"Right. Yes. That sounds like a good idea."

"Who's next for the watch?"

Alistair had trouble remembering just who they were supposed to rouse next with her body flush against his, his hands still idly stroking the peak of her breast and the curve of her bottom. "I can't say that I remember."

She smiled, giving him a single chaste kiss on the lips. "Leliana and Zevran are the closest." She brought her hand up to stroke his cheek, pausing for a moment. "I'll meet you in your tent, Bruno's sleeping in mine."

Of course, her mabari would be resting in her tent, he only prayed that she wouldn't mind the mess he remembered leaving in his. Maker, all the gifts she'd given him over the last few months were scattered around, along with the bits and pieces of his armour. He hoped it wouldn't change her mind, mentally kicking himself for not keeping his space clean.

He groaned at the loss of the weight of her body on his as she stood, glancing at him once more before she took off in the direction of his tent. He stood shortly after, grinning to himself that somehow the most beautiful woman in all of Thedas had just agreed to spend the night with him, the woman that he loved above all else. Maker, he was a lucky man indeed.

Setting off towards the tents of the camp's rogues, his smile fell when he realized he had barely any idea about what he was about to do. Would he disappoint her? Maker, that was the very last thing he wanted to do. He knew what to do when it was just himself, had imagined being with her more times than he could count, but now that it was actually happening... he pinched himself for good measure just to make sure he was awake.

When he found out he was, the knot in his gut continued to tighten. It wasn't like either of them had anything to compare to, but he wanted her to feel pleasure, that she didn't make a mistake in sharing this with him. He wanted her to feel just how much he loved her with each touch.

Opening the flap to Zevran's tent, he called out the assassin's name. His eyes opened, reflecting the distant light from the fire, something that had made Alistair shriek the first time he'd seen it, something Zevran still liked to tease him about.

"Yes, dear warden?"

"It's, uh... can you take over watching the camp with Leliana?"

"Is it so soon, already?"

Alistair grinned sheepishly, as the elf pulled himself up into a standing position, pulling on clothing as he exited the tent past him. "Well, not quite yet. But, uh..." He knew what he would say next would be a bad idea, but he needed some advice. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

Zevran cocked his eyebrow. "You may ask, but I may choose not to answer."

"Fair enough." He swallowed, praying that the elf wouldn't make fun. "Have you… had very many women in your time? I mean… you seem like the sort of man who would…" He could feel the heat running across his face, over the tips of his ears, and down his neck.

"I have indulged from time to time, perhaps, when my interest is not elsewhere." The elf grinned as he trotted in front of him towards the fire.

"Right. Well, how do you… woo them? Is there a… technique? Or…"

The assassin turned back around to face him, his grin growing. "'Woo them?' Are you quite serious?"

 _Maker, this was a horrible idea._ "Er… yes? I don't know what else to call it."

Both of Zevran's eyebrows raised. "So let me get this straight. You have… never wooed? Not once? You are woo-less, as it were?"

 _Not for much longer_ , he almost muttered under his breath, settling instead on throwing his hands up in front of him in defeat. "Alright. Bad idea. Never mind." He turned, leaving the elf chuckling behind him as he made his way to Leliana's tent.

He found the bard awake, most likely having heard him speaking with Zevran. At least he hoped, he hoped that she hadn't been stirred from the noises he and Mira had been making.

"Hello, Alistair. I assume you need me to cover the rest of your watch?" A knowing smirk rested on her face, Maker, she had heard them.

"Uh, yes." He shuffled from one foot to another, wondering if asking her too was smart idea. He doubted it, but his nerves got the better of him. He needed advice. "So… you're female, Leliana, right?"

A hand flew up to her face, another to her breast, feeling across her body. "I am? That's news. When did that happen?"

He sighed, the tone of her voice telling him that asking her had also been a mistake. He already knew that the pair of rogues would be teasing him about this night for weeks. He ran his hand down his face. "I just wanted some advice. What should I do if… if I think a woman is special and-"

"You want to woo her? Here's a good tip: you shouldn't question her about her female-ness." She raised her eyebrow at him, the knowing smirk growing larger.

"All right, yes. Good point." Maybe if he got putting his foot in his mouth out of his system in front of his friends, maybe he wouldn't do it with Mira.

"Why do you ask? Are you afraid things will not proceed naturally?"

He ran his hands through his hair, sitting down beside her in the tent. "Why would they? Especially when I do things like ask women if they're female."

Her hand moved to pat him lightly on the shoulder. "It adds to your charm, Alistair. You are a little awkward. It is endearing." The grin changed to a smile, trying to reassure him no doubt.

"So I should be awkward? Didn't you just say _not_ to do things like that?"

"Just be yourself. You do know how to do that, don't you?"

He rolled his eyes, making to stand. "All right, forget I asked." Her hand that still rested on his shoulder pulled him to stay.

"I'm sorry, Alistair. Sometimes you are far too much fun to tease. But if you really would like to know ways that some women like to be wooed..."

Ten minutes later, he made his way to his tent, Leliana's advice running through his mind. The talk had been awkward, but it had been helpful. He hoped Mira didn't mind that he'd taken so long to return to her. Maker, what if she thought he'd changed his mind, what if she had already went back to her tent, what if -

His imagination hadn't prepared him for the sight of her as he opened the flap to his tent. While he'd been with the pair of rogues, she'd removed her boots and pants, leaving her in only her linen shirt and he assumed her smallclothes. _Maker, was she wearing smallclothes?_ He supposed he would find out soon enough. Her hair was down from the way she usually wore it, and Alistair saw the loose waves that fell down past her breasts for the first time. _She was beautiful._

She'd also seen fit to use her magic to create a few floating balls of light around the inside of the tent. He saw that she'd also seen fit to place his armour neatly in one corner, her gifts to him in another.

He could see a blush cross her face as he moved towards her. "Maker's breath, but you are beautiful." She smiled softly at him, running her hands down his arms as he leaned down to kiss her.

Her fingers moved to toy with the hem of his shirt, lifting it until it became too high for her reach. He pulled it off the rest of the way, throwing it somewhere behind them in the tent. Her hands roamed over his chest, her fingers running over each scar, pressing her lips to the larger ones.

She yelped as he placed his hands below her bottom and lifted her into the air, her hands flying to his shoulders and her legs automatically wrapping around him.

"What are you-"

He silenced her with a kiss, turning around until he was facing the now-closed mouth of the tent, and slowly he lowered them down until he was seated against the fabric of his bedroll, Mira now seated in his lap. He could feel smile into the kiss, pulling away from him briefly to speak.

"Liked this did you?"

"Far more than I should admit, yes."

She kissed him this time, taking his bottom lip between her teeth and pulling away slightly. Her hips began to grind against his as they had earlier by the fire, the slide of her smallclothes, he realized she was wearing them, creating a wonderful friction against his pants and what lay beneath them.

His hands trembled as he fiddled with the hem of her shirt, Maker, this was actually happening. They'd never bared themselves like this to one another before. He'd been shirtless several times, but she'd always remained clothed.

"May I?"

She nodded, kissing him before pulling away to raise her arms up, allowing him to pull the material over her head.

He wasn't prepared for what he saw when he removed the linen shirt covering her. He had expected to be dumbstruck slightly by the sight of her bare before him, but his eyes were drawn to what lay between her breasts. His hand immediately reached out to the small locket she wore, finding the glass cold as his fingers ran across it. There, inside, was the rose he'd given her weeks ago, just as beautiful as it had been the day he'd plucked it in Lothering.

"I - how?" Maker, he loved this woman. All this time, the only gift he'd given her had rested above her heart. "Is it, is it smaller?"

She dropped her head to her chest, avoiding his gaze as she blushed. "When we went to Denerim, I - I stopped at the Wonders of Thedas and saw the locket. Wynne, she helped me with a spell to make it smaller to fit… and I used a frost spell right after you gave it to me… to keep it just how it was. I mean - it always uses up a little of my mana to keep it that way… but it's worth it. Because, well, because it was from you. And I don't mind, I mean -"

He smiled, a look of utter adoration on his face. "You're rambling..." He brought his lips to hers, kissing her sweetly before leaning away again. "You - Maker, I am a lucky man."

She wrapped her hands around his own, bringing them up to her bare breasts, the peaks already tight with arousal. "You're about to get a lot luckier…"

"Hey, I thought I was the one who made the bad jokes?"

She laughed, a sound he would gladly hear every day for the rest of his life. Maker, how he loved to make her laugh. The giggles turned to a moan as he circled the skin of her breasts, squeezing lightly, and he was finding that he enjoyed that sound just as much. Her hips began to move again as her lips descended on his neck. Her lips were feather light at first, before alternating between sucking and licking at his skin. She worked her way up from the bend of his shoulder to the corner of his jaw.

When she nipped at the bottom of his ear, the volume of the moan that erupted from his chest surprised her. She pulled away from him, looking down at his face, as heat bloomed across his cheeks. Maker, they must be sensitive. "Do you - do you like that?"

"Maker, yes." She bent back down to repeat the action, but he stopped her. "But if you keep doing that with your hips and with your mouth -"

In one smooth motion, he rolled them until she was beneath him. She gasped at the movement, hands tangling in his hair as his lips quickly worked their way down her throat, to the mounds of her chest, taking one pert nipple into his mouth.

" _Alistair_."

The sound of his name spilling from her lips in a moan almost had him forgetting all the advice Leliana had given him, wanting nothing more than to be buried inside her. But he wanted this night to be special for Mira, for them both. Wanted her to feel what he felt for her with every kiss, every lick, every touch. His lips continued their descent down her body, his hands moving to remove her smallclothes. Her hips lifted as he pulled the garment down her body, throwing it behind him. His lips trailed down her stomach, his tongue quickly dipping into her navel.

He thought about what he was going to do next, as he shuffled backward to position himself between her legs, finding himself excited at the thought. He only hoped that Mira would like some of the suggestions of how to woo from Leliana.

"Alistair, what are you-"

He face hovered over her naked sex, fingers barely brushing the dark curls.

"Is this alright?"

She didn't look at him at first, embarrassed by how much she wanted his mouth and hands on her. She'd imagined it many times before, Maker, it was practically a daily occurrence... but now, to have him actually about to do this for her... she could feel the heat pooling in the exact place where his breath was fanning over her skin.

"Yes. Please. Only if you want to."

She saw him smile before he descended the rest of the way, her breath hitching when his hands moved to spread her legs further, allowing him more room. One hand moved to part her already glistening folds, before he thought better of it and pulled one of her legs over his broad shoulder. Maker, she loved those shoulders. Only then did he continue, spreading her and moving in with his mouth.

It felt better than she had ever imagined. He fumbled a little at first, his hands slightly shaking – from nerves she assumed, Maker knew she was the same – but as his tongue began to move up the length of her, touching the sensitive bundle at the top, she couldn't help but let out a pleasured sigh. Her noises only encouraged him, working with more fervour with every sound that fell from her lips.

Slowly, he slid his index finger along her slit, pressing it inside of her. His eyes flicked up in time to watch her back arch, her breasts heaving up towards the sky from her panted breath. This was a sight he could get used to. Her face was scrunched up tight, her hands moving to tangle themselves in his hair again, pulling a little too tightly at times, but he wasn't concerned. A few lost hairs was a fair price to pay to have this goddess writhing under his touch.

When he felt her ready enough, he slipped a second finger inside, curling them slightly upwards with each thrust they made in her. His name fell from her lips more often, interspersed with cries to the maker and more, yes, please.

She came around him suddenly, her walls pulsing and contracting. A cold sensation arced across his head where her fingers touched. He lifted his head slowly when her breathing began to slow, crawling up her. Her eyes were closed, her face one of pure bliss. She opened them slowly, her pupils still blown from desire, and he had an idea. Slowly, he brought his fingers - still slick from her - to his mouth, sucking them clean.

She moaned at the sight, the sheer eroticism of it heightening her desire for him, before her eyes drifted up to his hair. Then, they widened in horror.

"Mira, what's wrong?" Fear flooded through him as she backed herself away to the other side of the tent. Had he done something wrong? Maker, please tell him he hadn't done something wrong.

"Alistair, I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't. Wynne, she told me it could happen if I wasn't careful… but I thought I was. I mean it's different when it's just yourself, easier to control, you know when the touches are coming. But when it's someone else's hands, it, it's more difficult. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry, I swear -"

Confused, he began to make his way over to her. "Mira, what are you talking about? You haven't hurt me. I don't know what you -" And then he realized the cold sensation on his head was still present. One hand tentatively reached up to touch the top of his hair. Instead of finding his bronze locks, he found ice covered hair. He began to laugh, probably not the best response he could have had, as he shook the cold crystals of her magic from his hair with his hands.

Tears began to spill from her eyes. "Hey, Mira, you didn't hurt me, okay?"

Her barely made out her words "This wouldn't have happened if I wasn't a -"

"Hey, hey. No talking like that." His hand moved to cup her chin, his thumb caressing it as he tilted her face up to his. "I love you, alright. I don't care. If the worst I get is a little ice in my hair, I don't care. I love you." His other hand moved to wipe the tears from her face, "Just as you are."

A small smile spread across her lips at his words. "You do love me? Even though -"

"I know I told you that outside Goldanna's, not the most romantic of settings, but I meant it. I love you."

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, the smile growing larger as she shuffled her way into his lap again. "I'm sorry, I still want to… that is if you want..."

He answered her with a kiss, mouth open and tongue seeking hers. His hand moved around to her back to flip their positions, but instead, a gasp left him as her hands pushed his shoulders, his back meeting the bedroll. Her fingers went to his hips, pulling down the pants he wore and the smallclothes underneath them, placing them neatly behind her in the pile of his armour. He was about to make a remark that he would more than likely later regret, when his thoughts left him as her hand wrapped around him. His head hit the bed with a thump, eyes falling closed as she slowly stroked, building his pleasure.

"Mira, please… please."

She smiled as she adjusted herself in his lap, lining them up. He almost didn't recognize the sound coming from his throat as the head of him slipped into her soaking heat. Her hand moved to rest on his chest, supporting her as she sunk down agonizingly slow. She stopped for a minute when they reached her virginal barrier, biting her bottom lip as she continued, a hiss escaping as she breathed from her nose.

His hand moved to caress her cheek, "Alright, love?"

She nodded, marveling at how full she felt. She learned forward to kiss him when he was fully sheathed inside, the movements of her lips sloppy with desire. One of his hands moved to the soft skin of her thigh, the other tangling in her hair, keeping her face by his. They moaned together when she slowly lifted herself up along him, before crashing back down.

 _Maker, this was bliss._

The air was filled with their voices, little sounds and words of love, and the wet slap of skin on skin. His hand left her hair to rest on her other thigh, holding her steady as thrust his hips up to her. She whined at the new movements, pleasure the only thing on her face. Her hand moved to the apex of her thighs, circling herself. The sight of her, her pale breasts bouncing with each thrust, his cock disappearing inside her, her fingers hitting the base of him as she moved around herself, it was enough to drive him mad with desire.

He shifted suddenly into a sitting position, the hardened peaks of her breasts scraping against the soft hair on his chest. With the new position, it was more difficult to thrust his hips, so he settled for using his hands to guide her hips up and down along him.

Their heads bounced together as they had both had the same idea to head for the soft skin of each other's necks, hoping to mark the other as their own, but neither of them felt any pain, too lost in the burn building in their bodies. A peal of laughter rang from her mouth, her head falling back, allowing him to move in and leave marks that he knew would be hard to cover the next day.

Good, let them all know what he could do to her. Let them all know what the blushing Chantry boy could do to their leader.

Then a wicked idea formed in his mind. One hand moved from where it rested on her thigh, pushing the hand that still worked at herself away, before rubbing his thumb at the spot that brought her the most pleasure.

"Come for me, love. Let them hear us." His voice a gruff whisper in his ear and his other hand encouraged her to continue moving along him. Her moans had already been loud, but he wanted everyone to know. The teasing would be horrible the next day, but it was worth it. Maker, was it worth it.

When she did come, her walls clamping around him, his name fell from her in a scream. That was enough to send him over the edge, his seed spilling inside her.

When the waves of pleasure riding through them subsided, she rested her face in the crook of his neck. She began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"I can't believe that just happened."

He laughed, his deeper tone joining the melodious sound. "Good I can't believe it happened? Or bad?"

She kissed him again, murmuring against his lips. "Very, very good."

She looked up as she felt cool water sliding down her skin, mingling with their sweat. Alistair lifted his head to follow where she was looking upwards. Falling slowly around them were hundreds of tiny snowflakes. Another product of her magic mixing with pleasure.

He smiled as he looked at her. _Maker, he loved this woman._ The cool flakes scattered in his hair, down his neck, and over his shoulders. "It's magical."

She scowled at him as she brought her gaze back down to him. "... and the bad jokes have returned."

He smiled sheepishly, kissing her sweetly, not believing still that she was really here.

She moved to sit beside him, both whimpering at the loss of the other. They laid down side by side on the bedroll, facing one another, trying to return their breathing to normal. They laid in silence for awhile, smiling at each other, their hands lazily exploring the other.

"Hmm. You know, according to all the sisters at the monastery, I should have been struck by lightning by now." Alistair's hand stroked along the outside of her thigh, leisurely connecting the small cluster of spots that served as her birthmark with his fingers.

"That so?"

"Yep. Lightning first, then the end of civilization as we know it." He shifted until he was leaning over her once more, a wicked look in his eyes. "I'm a bad, bad man."

His lips met hers in a scorching kiss, his hand sliding away from her thigh to cup her bottom, pulling her closer to him.

She whispered against his ear. "Let me return the favour."

Her lips began to descend down his jaw, not before nipping once at his ear, drawing yet another moan from him. She kissed on his shoulders, maker, just imagining them hovering over her as he made love to her drove her wild. She moved down his chest, licking each peak of his nipples as she followed the trail of his freckles down his abdomen.

His hand moved to her shoulder, stopping her descent down his body. "Honestly love, if it's not too soon… Maker, this is strange to say... but I think I'd rather be inside you once more. Well, I know I'd be inside… Andraste's flaming sword… you know what I mean."

"I do." She smiled, laying back against the bedroll once more, her legs spreading, inviting him to nestle between them on top of her. Maybe what she'd imagined would happen sooner than she'd thought. Maker, to have him filling her senses like this. He was all she could see, all he could touch, taste, smell, hear. She never wanted this moment to end.

He ground himself against her, the head of his cock sliding against her, building the heat in her groin again. Maker, the things this man did to her. One hand moved from where he had been supporting himself with one hand on either side of her head. He aligned himself with her, pumping himself in preparation before sliding in more roughly, barely able to wait to be inside her again, even if it hadn't been long.

Her legs wrapped around him, the heels of her feet digging into his buttocks, pushing him further inside. His head lolled against her shoulder, her lips kissing a line down his throat and shoulders, her hands clinging to his back.

"You do realize the rest of our little party here is going to talk, right? " He spoke into the crook of her neck as he moved inside her, his words broken between pants and moans. "They do that."

"First smart comment and I feed them to the darkspawn." Her own words as breathless as his.

"See? This is why I love you." He brought his head up, looking at her as he spoke. "I love you."

She leaned up to kiss him again, her tongue tangling with his, whimpering as he hit the spot inside her that made her quake with pleasure.

Her legs tightened around him as she could feel a third orgasm building, urging him in deeper, faster, anything to bring her closer to the edge. Sensing her need, he pushed himself up until he was kneeling between her legs, still joined with her, grabbing her hips into the air as he continued to drive himself into her, hitting the spot inside her even more than he had before.

She came around him again, this time she couldn't even remember his name, the strangled noises from her mouth intelligible. _Maker, if asked, she wouldn't have even remembered her own name._

He came shortly after, collapsing onto the bedroll beside her. They both stared at the ceiling of the tent where snowflakes still lazily fell, melting against their sweat-slicked skin.

"So… what now? Where do we go from here?" Alistair asked, too afraid to look at her, in case she decided that this would be the only night that he would be able to hold her. Maker, the fear that gripped him in his chest was almost unbearable. What if she said that this was the only time. Maker, he'd told her he'd loved her, multiple times, but he'd yet to hear the words from her lips. What if this was just lust? After all these months, what if she didn't return what he felt? The locket had been enough to make him think that she did, but he needed confirmation.

"We stay together, no matter what happens." He breathed a sigh of relief at her words, it was a start towards reciprocating what he felt for her.

"Right. I can handle that... I hope." He didn't want to sound too eager, just in case. He paused, a smile spreading across his face. "Have I told you that I love you?"

She giggled, remembering the last time he had spoken those words as they were joined for the second time, only moments before. "You did."

"I did?" A laugh, she knew he was thinking the same thing she had been. "Well, it won't kill you to hear it again, will it? I love you, Mira."

"And I love you, Alistair."

She didn't think she'd ever seen a smile as large as the one that was one his face now. He kissed her once, before pulling away to cock his eyebrow at her. "See? Was that so hard?"

She gave him a playful shove at his shoulder, before snuggling in closer to his chest and into the arms of sleep.

In the distance, Alistair was sure he heard Zevran and Leliana singing a tawdry tavern song. But their far-away teasing didn't matter, the most incredible woman in all of Thedas was wrapped in his arms, and for the first time, she would be there when he awoke in the morning. And hopefully for all the mornings to come.


End file.
